Kenora Fire 018 evacuees can start returning home on Tuesday morning

KENORA -- Emergency crews continue to make progress knocking down a raging Northwestern Ontario Wildfire and many displaced residents now know when they can begin returning home.

In a special advisory issued on Sunday evening, Ministry of Natural Resources officials said the perimeter of Kenora Fire 018 is 70 per cent contained, adding the evacuation ban for the areas around Caddy Lake, Macara Lake, Longpine Lake, Rice Lake and West Hawk Lake will be lifted on Tuesday morning at 8 a.m..

Property owners will be issued a travel permit to return to their homes, with travel restrictions remaining in place for everyone else until 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

At that point all restrictions are expected to be lifted.

MNR officials said each property owner will be allowed to take one vehicle during the initial return on Tuesday morning and are asking affected residents to bring proof of evidence to a property in the restricted zone, including a recent tax bill, information on property PIN or lot numberor a piece of mail directed to the property and personal identification.